As a multifunctional operating switch system mounted to a vehicle, a system usually includes a display device displaying operation states of in-vehicle devices including meters, an air conditioner, an audio device, and a car navigation device, and also includes a multifunctional switch (operating device) used for operating the in-vehicle devices (refer to, for example, patent literature 1). The multifunctional switch includes a round-shaped operating button. Instructions for hierarchical selecting, determining, and executing of items displayed on the screen of the display device can be performed by manipulating or pressing (tilting) any of the up, down, left, and right part of the perimeter of the operating button, or pushing the center of the operating button. Herein, the volume of the audio device can be adjusted irrespective of the hierarchy by manipulating or rotating the operating button.
The above multifunctional switch is attached in fixed manner to, for example, a central portion of an instrument panel (cluster lid C) in the vicinity of a driver seat. No consideration has been taken into for free movement of the multifunctional switch. There are users' needs for attaching the operating device to a top portion of a dashboard, to a portion between a user seat and a passenger seat, to a side portion of a door, to a side portion or to a top portion of a steering wheel, to a side portion or to a top portion of a steering column, to a ceiling, to a rear seat, or to any other place except for the central portion of the instrument panel.
In this case, assuming that the operating device is able to freely attachable and detachable, and is able to connect to an in-vehicle device (display device) in wireless manner (or in wired manner) in order to configure a system, the users' needs for freely disposing the operating device in an arbitrary place can be satisfied. However, the manipulating direction of the operating device and the arrangement direction in which items are aligned on a screen of the display device (cursor moving direction) may be different from each other. This inconsistency may cause the user to feel uncomfortable during the manipulation, and may degrade a manipulation performance of the operating device.
In recent years, a user often carries his or her information device, for example, a smartphone, a portable navigation device, or a tablet type personal computer into a compartment of the vehicle and sets the information device on an instrument panel for use, and operates the information device. In this case, if the operating device can be used to operate the information device carried by the user, the operating device may further improve user experience.